Powerball Jackpot Winner Confirmed In California After Numbers Announced
ROSEVILLE, Minn. (WCCO) – Wednesday night's Powerball drawing will be for a record-breaking $1.5 billion -- or, if you take the cash option, $930 million.
The winning numbers, announced at 10 p.m. Wednesday night, were 4, 8, 19, 27 and 34, with Powerball 10.
At least one Jackpot-winning ticket was announced that evening, as the California lottery confirmed a winner out of Chino Hills.
Here in Minnesota, lottery officials confirmed there were no jackpot winners, but that doesn't mean everyone is leaving empty handed.
What is also a record is the number of tickets sold in Minnesota.The Minnesota State Lottery says it expects to sell $20 million worth of tickets in the state.
That is double the record of $10 million worth of tickets set back in 2012, when the jackpot was a mere $584 million.
State lottery officials say everything has been going very smoothly, with about 7,000 tickets being sold per minute.
The Neighbor Stop in Stillwater is one of the busiest and winningest stores in Minnesota.
"I'd love to see our store sell that $1.5 billion ticket," manager Joan Reiche said.
The store ordered extra paper ahead of time to ensure they could keep selling.
"If you run out of paper you can't borrow from any other store," Reiche said. "Tonight we'll definitely surpass any of our sales we've ever had before."
Customer Joe Meath has seen success before.
"In September of 2014, I won $11.9 million on the Hot Lotto," Meath said.
He went for the computer quick pick, just like he did when he won.
"They say lightning can hit twice, so that's why I'm still playing," Meath said.
Hours before Wednesday's drawing, long lines could be seen at lottery headquarters in Roseville. Ian Bevington was there, buying tickets for his office pool.
"We ended up with a 100 total tickets," he said.
He said that his office has often gone in on the lottery together several times in the past.
"It usually doesn't pay out," he said. "But this one is worth it."
For anyone in an office pool, Minnesota rules allow each player to make a call on the lump sum or the 30 years of payments.
"Each group member can choose between the annuity option or the cash option for their share of the jackpot," lottery spokesperson Debbie Hoffman said. "So they don't have to share the prize in the same way."
Some buyers seemed nervous. Others, like Dan Doherty, were confident. When asked if he was going to win, he replied: "You're darn tootin'."
Doherty, of International Falls, is on a roll. He was at lottery headquarters on Wednesday to claim a $50,000 prize from the Cash Explosion game.
"I have been hot all week," he said.
Not only does he have his own Powerball tickets, he is also in an office pool.
Still, state lottery officials are reminding everyone that even if they do not win the big one, they still could have a winning ticket.
Some lunch ladies from Buffalo High School won $50,000 in Saturday's Powerball drawing.
There are six more $50,000 winners in Minnesota from Saturday who have yet to come forward.
The lottery has an entire page on its website devoted to unclaimed prizes.
"If you average it out, [the lottery has] about $10 million a year in unclaimed prizes," Hoffman said. "We want players to check their tickets."
The store that sells the winning ticket will receive a $50,000 prize.
